Seminar: NeuroArchitecture as an Enabler for the Brain Economy

Abstract

While neuroscience has made major advances in understanding brain function, translating these insights into wider societal and economic strategy remains an important frontier. The emerging framework of the Brain Economy positions the collective cognitive, emotional and social capacities of a population, termed Brain Capital, as an important economic asset. This perspective places brain health among the foundations for productivity, innovation and societal resilience. Brain health is shaped not only by individual biology, but also by the physical and social environments in which people live, work and learn.

Architectural, urban and interior environments can influence stress regulation, cognitive function, emotion and behaviour, providing an important link between the built environment, brain health and wider societal outcomes. Research in NeuroArchitecture and NeuroDesign is beginning to provide methods for studying these relationships. By examining exposure to, experience of and brain responses to different environments, this work can help connect neuroscience with the design of living environments that may support both brain health and Brain Capital, linking human, ecological and economic sustainability.